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Heated testimony as committee considers amended bill tweaking divisive-concepts law and adding private civil remedies
Summary
An amended House Bill 50 seeks to respond to a court ruling by adding scienter language and civil remedies to the state's divisive-concepts statute; supporters said amendments address federal-court concerns, while critics warned the change could chill classroom discussion and threaten teachers.
House Bill 50, as amended in the House, would preserve the existing state statute commonly described as the ‘‘divisive concepts’’ law but add an evidentiary scienter requirement (intentional or knowing violations) and permit aggrieved persons to bring civil actions and seek remedies, including potential educator-discipline procedures in some cases.
Representative Peter Petrino (presenting for the bill as amended) said the original bill he filed sought repeal of the statute but that the House amendment instead retained the law while creating a cause of action for intentional or knowing violations. Representative Glenn Cordelli, a…
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